Snapper Trap

Some animals hunt for their meals — the Mountain Lion, for example, and the Great Horned Owl — while others prefer to let their meals come to them. Of the latter group, consider the Alligator Snapping Turtle, which uses deception to lure prey right into its mouth.

The largest freshwater turtle in the world, the Alligator Snapping Turtle resembles a moss-covered rock when it's settled on the bottom of a lake or river. The moss is actually algae that's taken hold on the turtle's shell and now helps camouflage the animal. In addition to its rock-like appearance, though, the Alligator Snapping Turtle has a strange appendage dangling in its mouth that fish often mistake for a worm. The effect is so convincing that fish will swim eagerly to their deaths. Fortunately for these fish, death comes quickly, thanks to the turtle's powerful jaws, which can bite straight through a broom handle.